Two Lawrence men arrested in large-scale ATM robbery operation
Two Lawrence men were arraigned Monday at Lawrence District Court in connection to a four-state ATM robbery operation, the Essex District Attorney’s office said.David Barker, 39, and Efrain Montero, 40, allegedly stole over $400,000 in property and committed 10 break-ins since October 2015. They were both arrested Monday morning by Lawrence and state police after a 10-month-long investigation, according to the DA’s office.The DA’s office launched the investigation into the robbery operation after a break-in at an Apple retailer in Mansfield in October 2015, authorities said.Numerous local police departments joined the investigation including: Andover, Billerica, Hanover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Mansfield, Shrewsbury, and Wellesley, Massachusetts; Concord, Pelham, and Tilton, New Hampshire; Berwick, Maine; and Burlington and Killington, Vermont. The investigation was also aided by Massachusetts State Police, New Hampshire State Police, Belknap County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI. During the span of the investigation, the suspects allegedly continued to complete robberies — one of which, in Wellesley, led to the discovery of a fingerprint match, according to authorities. Search warrants were carried out at three locations on Monday. Officers recovered $82,400 in cash, a 9mm firearm, and tools, clothing, and masks associated with the break-ins, the DA’s office said. Barker was charged with conspiracy to commit larceny from a depository, four counts of larceny from a depository, four counts of possession of burglarious tools, two counts of receiving stolen property over $250, two counts of receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and money laundering. His bail was set at $500,000 and, in another case, his bail was revoked on a violation of his probation, the DA’s office said.Montero faces charges of conspiracy to commit larceny from a depository, four counts of larceny from a depository, larceny over $250, five counts of possession of burglarious tools, two counts of receiving stolen property over $250, three counts of receiving a stolen motor vehicle, money laundering, and possession of a firearm. Authorities said he was also held on $500,000 bail.
Barker and Montero are scheduled to be back in court for a probable cause hearing on August 29.
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